The Entrepreneur Fast Lane: My Startup Weekend Experience

In April 2012, I decided to join 70 entrepreneurs and take part in the first Startup Weekend outside of London. It was a crash course in business and entrepreneurship—a chance to test an idea I’d been sitting on for a while.

I was drawn to the “No Talk, All Action” motto. Instead of just watching shows like The Apprentice and thinking, I could do that, I wanted to put myself to the test. Could I take an idea from nothing and turn it into something real in just one weekend?

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is an intensive 54-hour event designed for people who want to build and launch startups. It brings together developers, designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate, validate ideas, and create a minimum viable product (MVP) in just three days.

• Friday Evening: Participants pitch their startup ideas in under a minute. Everyone votes on their favorites, and the most promising ideas move forward. Teams form around those ideas.
  
• Saturday: Teams work intensively on customer development, validating their idea, and building their MVP using LEAN startup principles. Mentors provide expert guidance.
  
• Sunday: Teams refine their prototypes, craft their pitches, and present to a panel of judges, including investors and industry leaders. The winning team gets opportunities for investment and mentorship.

It’s fast, intense, and incredibly transformative.

The Moment I Chose to Lead

I arrived early, unsure of what to expect. I had a business idea in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t confident in what I needed to do. The thought of standing up in front of a room full of ambitious people and pitching? That felt intimidating.

Then someone asked me: “Are you going to pitch?”

I hesitated. My instinct was to say no. I expected myself to say no. But a part of me wanted to. This was my moment—to step up and own my idea, or to sit back and let someone else lead. The time was going to pass either way.

As we talked, two thoughts ran through my mind:

“If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs.” – Tony Gaskins

“You will never regret the things you do, but you will always regret the things you didn’t.”

The moment came again: Are you going to pitch?

Yes. Yes, I am.

I shared those two thoughts with the person beside me, and you know what? We both pitched. By arriving early and giving confidence a chance to build, we made the choice to lead. And through doing so, we learned way more than we would have otherwise.

To top it all off, both of our teams ended up winning the opportunity to pitch for investment.

An Unexpected Opportunity & A Big Decision

After our pitch, things escalated quickly. Our team gained interest from investors, and we even received an endorsement from a Newcastle United football player. Suddenly, what had started as a weekend experiment had the potential to become something much bigger—a real business with real backing.

But when the weekend was over, we had a tough decision to make. Venture capital was on the table, but as a team, we took a step back to evaluate what we truly wanted. While we were all excited by the prospect of building our Sports Activation Service, we ultimately decided that pursuing VC funding wasn’t the right next step for us.

Instead of forcing something forward that didn’t feel aligned, we agreed to part ways on the project. It was a difficult decision, but one that felt right.

Looking back, the biggest lesson wasn’t just about whether or not the startup continued—it was about the power of stepping up. By taking an active role, pitching an idea, and throwing myself into the experience, I learned far more than I ever would have by hanging back and wondering what if?

I also met some incredible people, including my good friend Andy Stephenson, founder of Weekend Box, who went on to receive a Startup Loan award. He’s on a mission to bring family fun through the letterbox—and we met at Startup Weekend.

This experience taught me that entrepreneurship is about doing, not just thinking. We all have ideas, but entrepreneurs are the ones who take action.

Here’s why Startup Weekend (or any similar event) is amazing:

🚀 Build Your Network: You meet passionate entrepreneurs, creators, and mentors. These relationships can last a lifetime.

🚀 Build & Launch a Business: Some teams go on to create real companies—over 36% of Startup Weekend businesses are still going after three months.

🚀 Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Whether it’s pitching, designing, or selling, you’ll be pushed in new ways. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.

🚀 Learn by Doing: You don’t need to read 100 business books. You’ll learn more in one weekend of building than in months of theory.

🚀 Join a Global Movement: Startup Weekend happens worldwide, with over 45,000 alumni. You’re stepping into a global network of doers.

Now, Over to You…

We all face these moments—the ones where we have to decide: Do I lead and build my own dream, or do I follow and build someone else’s?

The time will pass either way. What will you choose?